First, you call The Mango and ask her nicely if she can donate some blood.
No shit. See, I had tried to donate earlier this summer, but they couldn’t get a blood pressure reading on me, but United Blood Services had my name and phone number in the computer.
So, bright and early this morning, The Mango of Asbestos went down to the donation center to give a pint. The screening interview was more of an ordeal than the actual donation. Almost couldn’t get my BP again, she tried twice on each arm, then switched to a smaller cuff. That did the trick. 117/68. That’s good, right? Then they put me in The Chair, stuck a big needle in my arm and gave me squeezie ball.
After a machine had removed a unit of my precious bodily fluids, I was sent to the refreshment area, where I nibbled some Milanos and Cheese Nips. Then on the way out the door, the woman at the front desk gave me a See’s Chocolate Bar and a coupon for a free beer at one of several microbrew pubs. The Mango likes microbrew.
I’m feeling a bit week and lightheaded right now. I napped for about three hours after I got home, and I still just want to go back to sleep.
They gave you a coupon for microbrew at the donation center? That’s hilarious! There were plenty of people in college who would donate and then go drinking, because it made the ol’ drinking binge cheaper. I’m guessing whoever runs the microbrewery has similar memories tucked away.
Anyway, I just thought I’d stop by to applaud. I can’t donate right now (tattoo is too recent), but I will again when I can. I wish that I, too, could look forward to a free (and good) beer. But either way, I’m a big fan of blood donors.
Ah, I’m donating just tomorrow with my sister and her boyfriend. All we get in Northern Ireland is a point per donation that can be turned into all sorts of wonderful prizes like badges and certficates to certify we’ve lost a couple of units of blood in the name of donation.
A beer afterwards would be sweet, but it would have to be a stout to make up for the lost blood
They gave you Milano cookies? Wow, classy.
And now for a complete hijack. I just wanted to let you know that I had an odd dream the other night I don’t remember much about it except that someone was telling me about the Mango god and I asked if they meant The Asbestos Mango from the Straight Dope boards.
Hey Asbestos Mango, thanks for putting this thread up!
It’s been a bit over two months since my last donation, so it’s time for another bleeding session for me. I think I’ll go after posting this.
You just happened to remind me at the right time, so thank you.
Unfortunately, they don’t give coupons for alcohol around here.
On the bright side, I pledged to abstain from alcohol for now, so it doesn’t really matter.
BTW, have any of you had the needle slip out of the vein when the pouch is almost full? Happened to me last time. Didn’t hurt actually, just left me with a big-ass bruise on my arm.
Cue for friends to ask if I’d started shooting up. Not nice.
I used to give blood at least four times a year. Never got turned away for any reason, and most of the time, all I got was a free Pepsi and some crackers.
Now I can’t give blood without lying about my past. I lived in France in the school years 1985-1986, and 1989-1990, with extensive travel all over Europe during that time. I also happen to love rare (and yes, I’ll admit it, raw) beef. Because of the risk of Mad Cow Disease (or whatever the name for the human form of the disease is), they won’t take my blood no more.
With the recent crises in blood supplies, I have seriously considered going in and not mentioning the fact that I lived in Europe during the Prohibited Period. After all, it’s been more than ten years now, and I still don’t have any signs or symptoms of MCD…
Another friend of mine gives blood every six weeks. He has also travelled extensively, but mostly through Asia. Every time he goes in to give blood (and he’s usually called in the day he is able to give blood again after his last donation), he has to go through his whole travel history, and the Red Cross people have to check that none of his travels prohibit him giving blood. He said that the last time he was there, he mentioned that it would be nice if they would just enter everything into a database, so that he wouldn’t have to wait so long every time. He’s seriously considering just copying the form they fill out so that he can just hand it to them each time he goes in.
